Customer Reviews

Death Angel

5 star:		(82)
4 star:		(42)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(25)

 

 

This is truly a story of redeeming love, and I loved it. Linda Howard has taken some truly unlikeable characters and because of a life changing miracle given us two truly memorable characters. The first few chapters led me to believe it was like some of her other books and I started to put it down. But the cover said something about a miracle so I kept reading and am I glad I did.

Drea Rousseau is the mistress of a mobster. She is smart enough to act very dumb. She was raised poor and determined to have the best in life she could get. She has been his mistress for two years. At the age of 15 she got pregnant and when she lost the baby she lost her self. That was when she decided to go for everything she wanted. Using her body and her wits she has climbed to the penthouse of a mobster.

The assassin is unknown and we don't learn his name until the end of the book. The mobster uses him for the most deadly hits on his competitors. He always gets the job done and his very cold deadly glance gives even Salinas cold chills.

As the book starts he is facing Salinas, who wants to give him a bonus for his good work. A hundred thousand extra dollars, but the assassin asks for Drea for one time. He is testing how far Salinas will go to humor him. Drea considers herself a mistress not a ho. Now however she can't believe Salinas will give her to this man.

Drea spends four hours with the assassin and her life is changed in ways she doesn't understand. She asks him to take her with him, but he laughs and leaves. At that time her hatred for Salinas is unstoppable and she puts her get away plans into motion.

Salinas naturally calls on the assassin to take her out. From this point on I could not put it down. It is truly one of the best books by Howard I have read in many yrs. Do not miss this one.

Drea Rousseau has not lived a good life. At a very young age she learned about heartache and as a result has gone through great lengths to make sure she would never feel that again. Using her wits and her body she has spent her years manipulating men into getting what she wants and playing whatever role is needed.

As an arm-charm to a ruthless drug lord and criminal, Drea thought she had it pretty good. She had no delusions about what their relationship was or was not, she was just taking one day at a time always knowing the end was coming. One afternoon he surprises her by treating her rather callously and for Drea that makes the end of their relationship come a lot sooner than expected.

But even as she makes her escape life throws yet another monkey wrench in the works and Drea's life and outlook is irrevocably changed, forever. What once seemed so important isn't anymore and she works hard to make every moment of this second chance count.

I thought this book was incredible; filled with twists and turns and completely unpredictable. From page one it was clear that this tale was going to be daringly different from any other romantic suspense novel I have read. The two main characters aren't nice people and I really shouldn't have cared for either one, but the way they are written, despite their flaws, I felt and fell for both. These aren't two people that you expect to be stars in a romance novel, but it is their unique characters that make this book so great. Both had led shallow and selfish existences and aren't very apologetic about it. But with the second chance that Drea faces, they both rediscover life, one another and are struck by the power of love.

Truly a wonderful story filled with some heartbreaking, fantastic and miraculous moments; I loved ever word of it.

Cherise Everhard October 2008

If asked "Who has been disappointed by Linda Howard's latest hardcover novels, raise your hand?" mine would've been the first one to shoot into the air. However, Linda Howard is one of the most versatile authors out there and she has written some of my very favorite books, so when given the opportunity to read this book, I jumped at the chance. I thought it was great! Her last few books have focused too much on the details and/or the unbelievable plots and left characters to fall by the wayside. Not so with Death Angel. Yes, there are a lot of details and the plot is unbelievable at times, but the way the story is put together is one heck of a ride. I couldn't stop turning the pages.

When reading the summary, I wasn't sure I would like Drea. Who would be interested in a drug runners arm candy? So I was more than a little surprised when I was actually sympathizing with her from the first chapter. She is a very layered heroine and it was so interesting to watch the evolution of her character. She is most definitely arm candy by the very definition of the phrase for the first part of the book, but she is also very cunning, conniving and street smart - a fact that is shown more than once as she plays the role of girlfriend to Rafael Salinas (a role that he buys into wholeheartedly).

This book doesn't skimp on the details of Drea's situation or how she gets out of it, but unlike last year's 'Up Close and Dangerous', the details add to the story instead of taking away from it.

This isn't a love story in the traditional sense of the word, but there is a love story in it. It's a very female-driven plot (think of 'Son of the Morning' or 'Cry No More' - the story in no way resembles these two books, but the layout of the plot and the heroine doing anything and everything she can to survive is what reminded me of those two, as well as the relationship between the hero/heroine - not a lot of page time, but it's worthwhile when they are together).

That being said, it won't be for everyone. There is a small paranormal aspect to it that some people probably won't like. I enjoyed it and others will as well, but not everyone. It's a very small aspect of the story (less than 25 pages) but very pivotal, so don't let that sway you either way in buying the book or not buying it.

The hero is definitely her darkest yet. The baddest of her bad boys and one of my new favorites. He's known for several chapters as nothing but 'the assassin' which set him apart from her other heroes at the first mention of him. The heroine was strong and smart with a soft side that draws the reader (or at least this reader) in from the very beginning. It starts off with a bang (literally) and the pace rarely slows down until the end.

Is it as good as some of Linda Howard's novels? No. But it is one of the best books I've read this year and I'm so relieved to see she hasn't lost her edge. It's definitely LH's best hardcover in the last five years or more. Without question, I will be buying her next book in HC, and looking forward to it.

2.5 stars, I think.

I should preface this review with two qualifiers. First, I'm not a diehard Linda Howard fan nor hater. I have no expectations, good or bad, when I see a book by her. I look at the synopsis, if I'm interested I read. If I'm not, I don't.

Second, I like flawed, less-than-perfect characters. Those who inhabit a world of grey rather than black or white and right or wrong. Some are considered anti-heroes. Others are sociopaths. Some are both. On occasion, even outright pure evil can can be appealing. So I had no problem with the protagonists being a killer and a, well, bimbo.

I think I've read a total of six of Howard novels, including this one. Two I've loved. One, I thought was just okay. Two others, I couldn't get into enough to finish. DEATH ANGEL falls somewhere in between the latter two categories.

It was pretty good up to the point where Drea "died", even though it got bogged down with way too much information about moving money. After this point, I was so not interested I basically skimmed the remainder of the book. Things picked up some when "Simon" revealed himself, but Howard had lost me with the near death experience and redemption theme. (What was so wrong with them before?)

But DEATH ANGEL has a bigger problems than a flawed theme - lack of character development and what there is makes little sense.

Why Drea flips out at being "given away" makes no sense. Yeah, being upset, makes sense. Getting so angry and wanting such great revenge doesn't. She was in the relationship with Salinas for what she could get. From her own thoughts, she made no pretense of being in love with him. She didn't even seem to like him much. She knew he didn't think much of her. That was her "plan", play dumb. She was arm candy just like she intended. He "gave her away", so what? They were both just playing their self-imposed roles. Feelings of humiliation and anger, I understand. So angry, she needed to "hit him where it hurts." Why? He ultimately owed her nothing just as she owed him nothing. She got the shopping and living in the lap of luxury, he got arm candy and laid. Payment for services rendered had been exchanged.

Drea's sudden change of heart after 4 hours of sex, even great sex, made even less sense. Fifteen years of clawing her way to something better was suddenly tossed out the window after a few orgasms? Huh? I get great chemistry and the desire to connect on a deeper level with a man, but "the assassin" was that man? The assassin, whom she liked even less than Salinas? That made no sense for such a "street smart" and calculating woman. Drea, if nothing else, was a realist, except when it came to this plot point. So it felt contrived.

An even greater tragedy was Howard's extreme lack of development of "Simon". He was half the story, yet we got absolutely no glimpse into what made him tick except a couple of sentences on the last few pages. No feeling as to why such a careful, calculating, practically-self-admitted sociopath would be capable of turning his life upside down for this woman. Sorry, "skin chemistry", as he called just didn't cut it. Simon could be a stick figure (one into tantric sex) for all the depth he had. (Oh yeah, four hours of sex and his final "release" was depicted like an after thought. Kind of a let down, no pun intended.)

It's unfortunate. This novel could have been some much better if it had been more about the characters involved.

I agree with another reviewer that likened this story to "Son of the Morning" and "Cry No More." The story was as intense as those, but as emotionally fulfilling as "Mackenzie's Mountain," my favorite book of all time, not just of Ms. Howard's titles, to me. Drea/Andie reminded me more of Milla than Grace, and "The Assassin" definitely brought Diego to mind.

This was one of Ms. Howard's best efforts since "To Die For." While the two storylines were very different, the characters were just as rich - the good, the bad, and the non-critical-path-individuals. The story was not something that I saw coming, and I hung on through the entire ride. While the end was perfect, like another reviewer, I would have loved for the story to continue...but I have to admit I feel that way about all of the good books I read.

I read quite a bit, and am very particular in what I consider worth my time, effort, and hard-earned money. This was well worth all, even at the HC price.

I don't feel that I can discuss the specifics of why the story worked for me without including spoilers...so, as the title of this review states, it is an intense story, and well worth the time, effort, and expense.

***Minor spoilers included***

Ok, first of all whoever wrote the synopsis that is on the dust-jacket, obviously didn't read the book... The book is 341 pages long and she doesn't go talk to the FBI until page 293! So yeah she never joins forces with them so don't hold your breath like I nearly did.

I actually liked this book.

Was it her old style? Nope.
Was it better than Cover of Night (aka Worst. Book. Ever)? Yes.
Was it a survival manual like Up Close and Dangerous? No (Thank God!)
Did it have card board characters like Killing Time? No!

But don't look for humor. Because you will not find ANY. I would compare it to Cry No More, a darker read - filled with a lot of emotions.

Simon (the Hero - although I use that word hesitantly here - he's an ASSASSIAN for one thing) is a lot like Diaz (the hero from Cry No More.) Strong, very silent type who gets things done and makes no apologies for how he gets them done. But whereas Diaz had the whole "working for the government" thing going for him. Simon is just bad. B.A.D. He was almost to the point of "sociopath crazy man" but luckily when he thinks Drea died he feels remorse and then later is beyond overjoyed to learn she survived (there's a very touching scene that happens)

I feel he redeemed himself as much as he was able to and I like the fact that Linda Howard didn't turn him into a good guy overnight. Simon admits he'll never be like "normal" people but he'll try to be as close to one as possible for Drea. (Unless, you know, she's threatened - then all bets are off and he's pulling out the guns.)

I liked Drea. I didn't want to at first. She was the arm candy of a crime lord after all, but once you learn her background it makes sense that she wants to focus only on herself - avoid meaningful relationships - and have lots and lots of money. When the crime lord does something beyond offending to her, she exacts her revenge. And yay for the fact that Drea is SMART! Not only are we told she's smart but she actually ACTS smart. Sure Simon is proven to be more cunning when it comes to tracking people down, but he's an assassin, that's his job. As a civilian I thought Drea did a good job running, stealing 2 mil from the crime lord and surviving on her own.

Drea and Simon have an instant connection (be prepared to have your eye balls nearly scorched off at around page 10 and I am so not kidding!) I was a little unsure of what my reaction was supposed to be so early on. And I'm still not quite sure how I feel about the beginning. Part confused, with a little bit of an icky feeling thrown in, and a lot of Wow!

Later their connection grows. They don't technically spend a whole lot of time together, but they are constantly thinking of each other. This part of the plot relies heavily on the reader assuming these two are "meant to be together" and I'm so used to that by now it only annoyed me a little bit. But I really did feel a connection between them, in Drea's thoughts and in Simon's actions. Do I think they'll have a HEA forever and ever. Eh maybe. I still think Simon needs counseling.

Drea's death was interesting. And different. Not sure what I was expecting but I went with it. It causes Drea to take a hard look at who she had become and she does a complete 180. Which let's be frank, was definitely for the best.

Then there was a random thing about her having visions, and that plot point went nowhere fast I'm really not even sure why it was included. I'm all for paranormal touches (loved Dream Man and Now You See Her) but really why include something, rarely mention it, and then not even have it effect anything in the plot.

The end was abrupt and very predictable. I was disappointed by how anticlimactic it was (especially given the crappy synopsis on the book flap).

Worth reading IMO but still not near what her books used to be.

With the exception of Cry No More, the last few LH books have been clunkers. This is an off beat story, off beat protagonists, a little unbelievable at a crucial part, but Linda Howard carried it off.

The Heroine was flawed but gutsy. Very interesting to see her metamorphosis from high class Ho to a woman of her own. Simon was another scary hero (see Cry No More) but it worked for me.

Enjoyed this story and glad I bought the book. Whoever does the covers on LH books is amazing. Worth the read.

I just had to add my two cents on this new book by Linda Howard. I use to love reading her older novels like "Mackenzies Mountain" for example and the other romances she is known for. However during the last several years Linda has tried to become a mystery/murder author...it is not working.
The only reason I gave this story two stars was because the first part of the book was good and then it started to go down hill from there.
I have to say if you are looking for a Linda Howard romance, it is not happening in this book! There is hardly any romance at all. What a disappointment.

Since Linda Howard started writing mystery I've loved every book. This was an exception. Read Now You See Her, Mr Perfect, To Die For. Anything but this one. I want to be fair. Let's just say this one went beyond the imagination and into ridiculous. The so-called Hero is an assasin with no conscience, no joke. And finally, two users getting together is not my idea of a happy ending. Linda Howard's sense of humor, daring and fun was not included.

Drea Rousseau has been the mistress of a drug lord, Rafael, for almost 2 years. She sits and paints her nails, shops and in general, acts like the stupidest woman in the world. Simon Goodnight is a hit man that is occasionally hired to kill people by Rafael. All 3 main characters are pretty dark with little redeeming qualities. At the beginning of the book Simon is asked to make a high profile hit by Rafael. Simon tells Rafael it's a little risky, so as a bonus he wants to sleep with Drea. Rafael casually agrees and leaves the apartment for 5 hours, so that Simon can collect his bonus. What follows is one of the few sex scenes in the entire book, but it is an essential one, because the entire book's plot rests on it. And what a scene it is! You should be required to read the book with pot holders. Anyway, after Simon leaves, Drea is completely and totally furious and decides it's time to show Rafael the woman he has REALLY been living with for two years. Drea proceeds to rob Rafael of 2,100,000 dollars plus jewelry and almost gets away until Rafael hires Simon to find her and kill her. The whole thing is just great.

The first half of this book is a romantic, sexy suspense, and what a book it is. I was absolutely and totally in love with both Simon and Drea. They were crooked, callous and unapologetically bad. It was great. The problem with the book was the second half. We went from realistic suspense to a romantic fantasy on page 162. From that point on the author brought in supernatural details, visions, psychic powers and in general, redeemed both characters and totally whitewashed them to bring about the ending. I absolutely hated it (and I am normally a huge fan of paranormal romances). These two were so absolutely different from any other characters and their motivations were so priceless, that changing them was like destroying a work of art. If Linda Howard was my neighbor, I would have been banging on her door at 3:00 a.m. last night to tell her how great the first half of her new book was and how bad she took a truly excellent, excellent book and screwed it up in the 2nd half. (Only half joking.)